Craig Borland

It’s a problem familiar to seaside towns throughout Britain: what’s the long-term solution to the persistent nuisance caused by the resident seagull population?

We’re all familiar with the unsightly droppings on pavements, windows and cars, but with every passing summer Rothesay’s seagulls, like those elsewhere, are becoming ever bolder and more aggressive in their attempts to survive and thrive.

The town, like elsewhere, has plenty of examples of people who have been attacked by adult herring gulls - in most instances after getting a little too close to their chicks, but in some cases without any motive, or atleast one which is immediately obvious to the victim.

And now the Isle of Bute Trust has been asked by a member of the public to look at ways in which the island might be able to tackle the problem - beyond simply putting up warning notices and asking people not to feed the gulls and to put their rubbish in litter bins.

Unlike some local authorities, Argyll and Bute Council has no specific policies or guidelines in place to advise the public on how to deal with the seagull nuisance on their doorstep - Aberdeenshire Council, for example, has produced a ‘Survivor’s Guide to Living with Urban Gulls’.

But with the Trust’s backing, we want to know what long-term solutions have proved effective in tackling the seagull nuisance elsewhere. Let us know your suggestions - email news@buteman.com or comment on the story on our Facebook page.